🔗 Share this article

Prosecutors told the tribunal that law enforcement had reasonable suspicions that Stephen Yaxley-Lennon's phone held information related to acts of terrorism when they detained him last year as he tried to depart from the UK.

Refusal to Provide Phone Pin

The far-right activist, whose real name is Tommy Robinson, reportedly refused to hand over his password to police, claiming it contained journalist content.” This happened after he was intercepted at the Channel tunnel on 28 July 2024.

Trial Arguments on Anti-Terror Authority

On the final day of the proceedings, state lawyer the prosecution stated that the anti-terror authorities used by police are designed to permit intelligence gathering. She asserted that police had valid grounds to believe the defendant continued to have connections to far-right activists, even after the disbandment of the EDL organization.

“Although his membership of the EDL has come to an end, his beliefs have not gone away. He is known for holding those opinions and therefore it is a reasonable suspicion to think that on his phone there may be data pertaining to terrorist acts,” she informed Westminster magistrates court.

Morris added, “His beliefs – to which he is entitled – were not the focus for their attention on 28 July. It was his association to individuals who are potentially engaged in illegal actions.”

Circumstances of the Detention

The activist had turned up alone at the Eurotunnel in a silver Bentley owned by a friend and was on his way to the holiday destination of the Spanish coast with over £13,000 in a carry-on, the trial heard.

The funds was said to have been from a donation drive to cover expenses from arranging a major rally that took place the day before in Trafalgar Square.

Defense Arguments

Robinson, who denies non-compliance with counter-terrorism powers during the incident on July 28 last year, faces up to three months in prison or a potential £2,500 penalty if found guilty.

His lawyer, Alisdair Williamson KC, said in final arguments that anti-terror officers who detained his client had engaged in a speculative search” and that he had been illegally held.

Referring to testimony from officers who said they contacted other organizations” after detaining him, the defense lawyer said this was a reference to the intelligence agencies and that no evidence had been offered from MI5 to suggest his client was a terrorist.

He asserted the police action was biased” because it was based to a “significant degree on a personal attribute.” He stated that the main factor” on the decision to stop him was recognizing his identity”.

He noted that police had used an “extraordinary power that must be properly policed” to try to find out information that was previously available. Williamson suggested that his client traveled to the resort regularly, which ought to have lessened the officers’ concerns about him.

Legal Costs and Judgment Date

The activist stated that his court expenses in the case were being paid for by the tech billionaire, the owner of X and Tesla, who has appeared as an ally of the far-right activist and lately addressed a gathering organized by him in London via a online broadcast.

A suggested day of next Tuesday for the decision was changed by the district judge, Sam Goozee, after Williamson explained Robinson was due to be a invitee of the Israeli government from Wednesday and would not return until October 25.

{“I wouldn’t trouble you if this was a trip to Benidorm. I would ask him to rearrange it but he is a guest of a foreign government,” stated Williamson.

Goozee announced he would deliver his verdict on the start of 4 November.